Why are there no soccer players who are world class sprinters? While there are American football?

Question

players who are world class sprinters?

no disrespect to either sport. Is straight up speed not that important in soccer?

Answer 1

Johann Smith of the Bolton Wanderers was a world class sprinter, he gave it up for soccer.

Hailing from Bloomfield, Connecticut, Smith attended the Watkinson School; he played varsity soccer all four years, garnering All-State honors during his junior and senior campaigns. In addition, as a testament to his immense speed and athleticism, Johann Smith had many exploits on the school's Track and Field team. Smith, a keen sprinter, once ran the 100 metres in 10.5 seconds.

Answer 2

American football players are nancies. A few seconds of match play and then standing around panting like racehorses after the Melbourne Cup. Padded up to the gills and even wearing helmets...and people think they're tough? Seriously? Watch some Aussie rules football to see a serious physical contact sport with no protective gear but mouthguards (optional). Twenty minute quarters (usually blow out to 30 mins) on a field nearly twice the size and most players are expected to run at least 12-15km a game. None of those gridiron ponces would last half an AFL game. Mind you, I don't think there's an elite soccer player in the world who could either.

Answer 3

This is a really good question. Straight up speed is not quite as important in soccer though it does matter. In football there is a rest between every play and a long rest when a team transitions between offense and defense. Also, football has unlimited substitutions unlike soccer. Because of these factors endurance is at least as important as speed in soccer so a player can't just focus on sprinting and excel.

At the last Olympic Games in Greece the guy who finished third in the Marathon was a onetime soccer player. He was a Brazilian who's name I can't recall. So soccer can produce some world class distance runners.

Answer 4

Justin Gatlin hmmm... he was real fast and he was a football player and its common knowledge he used steroids.

Does he qualify as a world class sprinter even though he cheated?

Granted there are some pretty darn fast football players that as far as I know don't use them.

To answer your question.

Yes straight up speed is important in soccer, very important, but not as much as endurance. Try this, play a soccer game at a full sprint for all 90 minutes and tell me how it goes. There are no commerical breaks in soccer games and no time outs to catch your breath.

Until you line up the fastest in the NFL and race them against the fastest in FIFA and show me the results, don't make assumptions that soccer hasn't got any world class sprinters.

Hey phinphan why don't you join Killy for a blunt, one won't hurt, your brains already turned to crap anyway.

Answer 5

Speed is very important in soccer. It just that soccer isnt a 1 dimensional sport where 1 attribute will make a difference. There are too many other factors and skills that play a huge role to depend on speed alone. It also doesnt matter how fast one can run with they cant shoot or dribble. Besides, soccer is a game of 90 minute endurance. Sprinting and endurance are usually mutually exclusive.

Answer 6

Soccer is more a about stamina that straight burst of speed.
In soccer you play for 90 mins.
In football the player might get the ball and run down the field. And not get the ball for for the next 3 down/plays

Answer 7

killy gonzo needs to smoke another blount if he thinks soccer players are faster than football players. i'll loan you a dollar so you can buy yourself a clue. how many soccer players can run a sub 4.5 second 40 yard dash? that's right, none.

and by the way, asafa powell of jamaca SHARES the world record in the 100 meters with american justin gatlin, and i see nothing in his bio about him being a soccer player, he is a career sprinter. so please stop making things up, will ya?

Answer 8

check out David Suazo on youtube. and let me know if he is not a world class sprinter. he now plays with Inter

Answer 9

Cuz soccer is more endurance and long distance running. you run for a long time without stopping.

In football, u stop every 5 seconds. When you get the balll you only have to run as fast as you can 1 direction for only prolly 13 seconds at most.

Answer 10

American football is broken up in "downs," with action not usually lasting more than 5 to 10 seconds. Soccer is continuous, with little break in the action. Constant, steady movement is the name of the game, with all out sprints being very rare.

The workouts are different, and that means that the muscle structure (tissues) are very different.